Wednesday, June 24

A Product Review and Give-Away for Cedar Grilling Planks

It's almost the 4th of July, and Americans are gearing up for cookouts. According to the National Retail Federation, 62.6% of Americans will host or attend a cookout, barbecue or picnic this year.

Everyone knows that any decent 4th of July cookout will have hamburgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob, potato salad, and watermelon. But if you want to add some panache to your cookout, then consider buying a cedar grilling plank.

Recently I was asked to do a product review for Fire and Flavor's cedar grilling plank. I was quite pleased with it. According to the company, the plank is made from all natural western red cedar and contains no additional flavorings. It was easy to use: I soaked the plank in water for the recommended 1 hour. (Don't skimp on the time, or the wood could burn too much when grilling.) I placed the salmon on the plank and set it directly on the heated grill racks. It cooked in about 15 minutes.

I really loved the fragrance of the wood while it was cooking. It had a sweet, woodsy aroma that definitely whetted the appetite, as was evidenced by the people near the grill asking, "Mmm... what's that wonderful smell?"

The salmon cooked evenly and maintained its shape perfectly. As for the taste, well, it was lovely. I can't say that it had a particularly woodsy flavor; it was more subtle. When I made beef on the plank, however, I detected a more discernible smoky flavor that was delicious. The meat was succulent and not overly charred as it tends to get when grilling.

The plank can be washed in warm, soapy water, air-dried, and reused 1-2 more times, if not overly charred. The plank comes with clear, easy instructions and several great recipes.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this product.

Now for the best part! Fire and Flavor is offering a lucky Food Blogga reader a chance to win a Fire & Flavor "kit," with goodies such as a cookbook, cedar grilling planks, and cedar papers. Click here for details, and leave your comment below by the end of the day, Sunday, June 28, 2009!

We've been really interested in trying out cedar planks this summer..and that salmon recipe sounds like a great place to start! And grilling at night after work is just so quick & easy..I can whip up some quick sides while my fiance works the grill :o)

This is my favorite method for cooking fish, by far and especially salmon. I soak the planks for a long time to make them last longer- like 3 hours if I can remember to start it early enough. I also have some hickory planks that are nice for pork.

I'd love to try using a plank--we've cooked using wood chips before but I would think that actually cooking on the plank would make the flavor even better! I'm thinking some kabobs--chicken, shrimp, beef, etc. YUM!!

I bought some really inexpensive cedar planks and they are still sitting in a bag...I've been afraid to use them because they look like they would go up in flames even if they were soaked in water for hours!

Currently, I am a Culinary student, and I am working toward my bachelor's degree in Food and Beverage Management.

I love to try new foods, whether the item is completely foreign to me or it's just prepared in a new way. However, money has been tight lately, I no longer have the funds to go out and buy new culinary equipment whenever I want to. I very rarely get to treat myself to something such as this.

Cooking is my passion. I would love to win these planks in order to gain more experience and learn different techniques. I share the enjoyment I find in cooking with my friends and family, and preparing a meal is always the best way!

Great giveaway, Susan! We use cedar planks all the time but I hadn't heard of the cedar paper. I Googled it and will have to try them as I've wrapped trout in butcher paper to grill... I bet it'd be great with the cedar papers. Don't enter me in the giveaway - we have a *stack* of cedar planks, but I'm glad to learn about the paper.

I've never tried grilling with planks--we just got our first grill and so far, I've been afraid to be more daring than burgers and grilled peppers. Hopefully smoky wood plank flavor will force me to become more adventurous!!My e-mail address is jakannan AT vt DOT edu. Thanks for holding this giveaway!

I just had my first experience grilling salmon on a plank, with a mango/ginger prepared sauce that someone had given me. It was so so so delicious! It is my new favorite way to cook salmon. I would like to give cedar planks to a family member to share this discovery! Thanks for the recipe, we'll give it a try!

When I walk in the woods close to my home I love the scent of the cedar forest. Cedar also reminds me of my moms cedar chest. I have never had the oppoertunity to cook with a cedar plank so would enjoy the chance:D

Grilling with cedar is new to me...I have only used charcoal to give smoky flavours to my dishes as n when required....looking at that gorgeous salmon....I sure need to get my hands on a plank soon, Susan!:)

That salmon looks fresh & delicious Susan...can just imagine how beautifully flavoured it must have been. The cedar planks are too cool too. I smoke my stuff with a piece of red hot charcoal, but this seems different!

Reading through the comments - who knew salmon on a plank was such a phenomenon! Really like the sound of your fish as well as the plank, even if it's only for the gorgeous smell it's sure to give off. A bit of aromatherapy with your food.

This recipe is making my mouth water! I would love to try the cedar planks out for a weekend bbq I'm having this summer in Chicago. Taking advantage of the warm weather in this fantastic city with a delicous entre sounds wonderful! meganlynnburgess@gmail.com

My boyfriend absolutely LOVES grilling, and I know that he would have a fantastic time using a cedar plank. Having mentioned this possibility to him, he says that he is "obsessed with cooking and learning how to make new and exciting dishes, and a cedar plank would broaden my amateur repertoire".

My boyfriend's Birthday is right around the corner, and he would be so excited to receive these planks as a gift! Ever since my dad show him how to use the grill, he has absolutely -loved- grilling! We've barely used the stove, lol. We are very big fish eaters, since we don't eat beef, so he will definitely be giving this recipe a try! It looks amazing!

My father is a commercial fisherman and I was raised on salmon. I've been wanting to try a cedar plank for YEARS. And I'd love to introduce my fishing family to something new. We've been just barbecuing or broiling it forever.

I always thought the cedar plank was a product of hype but your review has me reconsidering. I am eager to try it especially since I don't enjoy fish so I would use it on chicken or something similar instead.

Oh, wow, that cedar plank salmon looks so decadent, Susan. Mine never come out that lovely! I was just reclling the other night that you were one of my first challenge comments, in my second SHF challenge for berries, and you did a wonderful job, hosting. If you recall, I melted all over the place! lol